:: All prices listed are wholesale to shops :: Retail prices to individuals are twice those listed ::
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Old Dayak earweights
Old Dayak tribe earweights are available occasionally...
mostly women's heavy pear shapes (aka gasing, spinning tops).
Please click on the above thumbnail images to view the pieces at actual size.
These antique pieces are for both wearing and collecting alike-very few examples of traditional Borneo earweights are still available. I feel the best way to honor old jewelry like this is to continue it's use and the artisan's intentions by wearing them.
The detail and heaviness of these weights speak from a period when time flowed a bit more slowly...
These are getting harder to find, and also more expensive. Please call for a price quote.
As an example, the above pear shapes would be at least $300/pair now.
We can get very old pairs from collectors for around $600/pair and up.
Dayak is a generic name for the indigenous tribal peoples of Borneo island,
the top third of which encompasses the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah,
with the small sultanate of Brunei sandwiched in between, and
the lower two thirds taken up with the Indonesian territory of Kalimantan.
Dayak tribe names include Iban, Kayan, Kenyah, nomadic Penan, Punan, Kelabit, Kadazan, Dusun, Bidayuh, Bukitan, Lun Bawang, Maloh, Benuaq, Ukit, Ngaju, Murut, and many others. Orang ulu is the collective name for the tribal people who live 'upriver' in the interior and highlands of Borneo, as opposed to those closer to the coasts.
New Dayak earweights
New bronze Dayak earweights from Borneo, as shown in the top two rows, were only $40/pair!
All styles are currently sold out, but you can ask to be put on a wait list for when we get more - most likely when I travel to SE Asia again. Please click on these thumbnail images to view ones at real size.
In the top row are thorny aso's, black and blonde large aso's;
the middle row has dragons, single aso, and double aso.
Aso is the Dayak term for the mythical dragon/dog beast
that is prevalent in their carving, painting, and tattoo designs.
The copper coils on the bottom left are old, but are singles, and were inexpensive; pairs are much more.
Pairs of bronze coils and C-shapes are very hard to find and quite expensive.
The silver sets of weights on the bottom right are old Dayak girls' sets
and were $80/set on average - prices now will be considerably higher.
Here we show another pair of new Dayak bronze earweights,
in a large version of the enigmatic bird/elephant design.
These went for $60/pair and were 1.5-1.6oz (42.5-45.4g)/each. SOLD
Newer old-style Dayak earweights
Another category of Dayak ear weights are newer pairs that were still being made in the old ways, not quick and unrefined castings. While these do not have the same age, they are still well-finished, have softer edges, and show the refinement that authentic Dayak ear weights are intended to have.
New Dayak women's 'pear' or gasing (spinning top) shaped heavy brass earweights were $100/pair. SOLD
They were quite heavy as this style traditionally are, weighing 139grams or 4.9oz each!
Good quality repro's like these are rather hard to find
compared to the bulk of the new cheap pairs found on today's market.
Pages 274-275 of
A World of Earrings and p. 279-280 of
Power and Gold have good pictures of old pairs.
Old pairs of birdie/elephants, coils, gasing, and aso weights are shown on p. 228-229 of
Ethnic Jewellery.
New Guinea shell septums
These are several examples of giant men's shell septum jewelry from Irian Jaya
(the West half of New Guinea under the Indonesian flag; the east half is Papua New Guinea aka PNG).
Please click on the above thumbnail images to view the pieces at actual size.
These are referred to by the Asmat tribe as bipane, though their use is not limited to this one tribe.
These are all authentic pieces, made to be worn as jewelry in huge septum piercings. Nose bleeding rituals are common there, often as a rite of passage and as a means of periodic bleeding amongst males.
There is a bit of dark and sometimes fragrant resin in the center of the shell septum pieces (and sometimes stuffed into the hollow part of the bone septums shown below) that is softer and more oval than flat in cross section and more comfortable than if just the shell was worn. This is rumored to either be beeswax or tree resins. It can easily be heated and reshaped with the fingers using steam (such as from a tea kettle).
The pieces above have sold, but shell septums generally range from $30-$75/each depending on size - the average price being $60/each.
Two different large Asmat tribe (Irian Jaya, Indonesian New Guinea) bipane
shell septum pieces with dark fragrant resin in the centers, which sold for $70/each.
Check out p. 210 (shell) and p. 212 (bone) in
The Splendor of Ethnic Jewelry for examples of these.
New Guinea bone septums
These pig bone septum pieces are also from Irian Jaya and made for men's huge septum piercings.
I have heard the word ooch or otsj being used to refer to New Guinea septum pieces such as these.
They range in size from around 1/2" to over 1-1/8" to insert! Prices usually start at $60/each.
Please click on the above scans to view the pieces at actual size.
Gold earweights from South India
Amazing South Indian golden earweights, aka pampadam, such as those shown above,
have intricately braided gold wire bundles that allow the tops to be flexible
when the pieces are opened with hidden internally threaded closures.
Probably 22k gold. These were $400/pair before gold prices shot up, and I would expect them to be much higher than that now. We've seen them sell for upwards of $1,500 in the past.
The current price of gold, size, weight, age, condition, and other factors will affect future pricing.
I only sold these since I already had a similar pair in my personal collection.
Examples of South Indian jewelry such as this can be found in the book
Traditional Jewelry of India, which I highly recommend.
South Indian gold that is currently in stock can be found on our ethnic jewelry of India page.
These amazing pieces are called thandatti and are worn by women in South India.
They are shown larger than life sized. These were $750 for this particular pair before gold prices went up.
Though not marked, 22K-23K is the traditional standard of gold in these regions.
The large ball shape is the end of a hidden screw shape, which has a "backward" threading pattern. After removing this screw, the top crescent opens up on a hinge to allow the weights to be hung on the lobes.
They are probably filled with lac to prevent the high karat gold from getting crushed from use.
Please ask for more information and images if this type of jewelry interests you.
Other pieces from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in South India may be obtained upon request.
Indian gold earrings and ear cuffs
For an excellent reference source of Indian gold jewelry,
please see p. 218-226 of
Traditional Jewelry of India.
All of the Indian gold earrings depicted in this section have SOLD,
though we can often get similar pairs if you are interested!
Gorgeous small South Indian high karat gold earrings/earcuffs (ananthamudichu), usually from Kerala.
There is a hidden internally threaded pin in the center, the top is a hinge,
and they wrap around a stretched lobe like an earcuff.
The top image of each set is real-sized; the larger images are extreme close-ups to show detail.
These beauties usually ranged from around $250-$350/pair (these are old gold prices).
Prices depend largely upon weight and the current price of gold.
While these exact pairs have SOLD, we do run across them now and then.
Just let us know if you'd like to be on our wait list.
Reference sources include p. 120 in
A World of Earrings and
p. 149 of
Ethnic Jewellery, as well as the diagram mentioned below.
South Indian high karat gold earplugs. SOLD.
Back flare, inside of front flare, and front views shown.
The backs pressure fit into the fronts instead of the usual internally threaded screw design.
South Indian barbells
There is a great diagram depicting dozens of styles of multiple ear cartilage piercings, with names of the accompanying jewelry, on p. 218 of
Traditional Jewelry of India. I highly recommend it!
Gold koppu pieces similar to those below can also be seen on p. 149 of
Ethnic Jewellery.
They are all internally threaded (left/"backwards" threading) with ornate ends.
South Indian high karat gold upper ear pieces (though of course do not have to be worn there!)
feature internally threaded barbells and long gold drops. $350/pair. SOLD
Old Burmese amber plugs in the traditional shape that is similar to giant crayons!
Called patlokan. The tips have some old damage. $200/pair. SOLD
Ancient Cambodian glass plugs
Yellow glass earplugs ancient ear plugs from Cambodia, estimated to be 500-1000 years old!
While some pieces are similar enough to be close to pairs, all are individual and unique.
Some have straight shafts and flat discs, and some have flared ends like insect bodies with rounded discs, which make them look overall like little mushrooms.
The ones depicted have SOLD, though we can get singles and less matched pairs. $25-30/each piece.
Page 210 in
A World of Earrings shows various ancient glass plugs,
including a pair with a similar overall shape.
Maasai beaded earcuffs
Maasai ear cuffs (aka earclips): however you'd like to call them, we got 'em!
These have many colorful beads set on wire. $30/pair.
Two views are shown of the same three pairs. All have now SOLD.
Maasai women's leather ear flaps
Maasai women's leather gonito ear flaps, traditionally worn in large earlobe piercings.
This gorgeous pair comes on a very sturdy black colored metal stand (not shown). $80/set. SOLD
An additional shipping charge may apply due to the weight of the stand.
Click on this small thumbnail to view a life-sized scan.
These Maasai women's ear pieces have beads and metal (tin?) and buttons sewed onto them for decoration. Click on the small scan to view them at their full size. One piece out of each pair is shown. $60/pair SOLD.
Please note: we can usually get more pairs of Maasai leather ear flaps-just ask!!!
Turkana tribe septum jewelry
Aluminum Turkana men's leaf-shaped akaparaparat septum pieces with stamped designs.
These can also be seen worn by Pokot men, and in the upper ears of Turkana women.
While these exact pieces have SOLD, we can get very similar ones.
Prices have gone up from the last time we acquired these. I anticipate them being around $55-$65/each.
For an image of a man wearing one, please see p. 15 in
Africa Adorned.
Turkana tribe labrets
Copper and other metal Turkana atepes labrets:
women's (around $60/each) and men's (around $75/each).
These exact pieces have SOLD, but we can usually get very similar ones. Prices are estimated.
The Turkana are from Kenya, East Africa. These labrets are also worn by related tribes.
Page 33 in
Africa Adorned shows an example of this type of labret.
This Turkana labret has SOLD; it was likely a women's labret.
Erica took the above picture at a body art museum in Malacca, Malaysia!
The caption read:
"This elaborately adorned married Toposa woman of Southern Sudan has a long wire piercing her lower lip."
Click the thumbnails below
to view our selection of ethnic jewelry from various parts of the world.
